The Early Years (1940s, 1950s and 1960s) Podcast
The assassinations of John F Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy through to Vietnam and America鈥檚 shame at the My Lai massacre. A fascinating social, cultural and political history of American life, through the words of British-American journalist and broadcaster, Alistair Cooke (1908 鈥� 2004).
Episodes to download
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Bobby Kennedy's assassination, 1968
Sun 9 Jun 1968
Cooke's eyewitness account of the assassination of Bobby Kennedy (1925-1968).
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1000th letter - American reactions to Vietnam, 1968
Sun 24 Mar 1968
The human tragedy of the Vietnam War and its impact on Americans.
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Christmas 1967
Christmas Eve 1967
Senator Jacob Javits' parking fine, and a President Truman Christmas story.
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Honeymoon with President Johnson, 1966
Sun 21 Aug 1966
How President Lyndon B Johnson had to make way for a honeymoon.
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The LA Watts riots, 1965
Sun 22 Aug 1965
What caused the 1965 Los Angeles Watts riots and what do they say about America?
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Clay vs Liston Fight
Sun 30 May 1965
The debacle of the Cassius Clay鈥揝onny Liston boxing prize and American sportsmanship.
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President Johnson's inauguration, 1965
Sun 17 Jan 1965
President Lyndon B Johnson's inauguration, and a history of others.
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Assassination of J F Kennedy, 1963
Sun 24 Nov 1963
The death of J F Kennedy (1917-1963), the first president of the television age.
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500th letter
Sun 8 Sep 1957
How the series Letter from America began in 1946, and how America has changed since.
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William Kapell (1922-1953)
Thu 5 Nov 1953
A tribute to American pianist William Kappell, and music in America.
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Television in America, 1951
Fri 19 Jan 1951
The early days of television in America, as reported by Alistair Cooke.
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A fragment from 1947
Sun 12 Jan 1947
The 80th Congress meets, and maintaining capitalism's 'last stand'.
Why do Americans love their flag?
How The Stars and Stripes became an emotional symbol of a nation.
